My Life in Gereif
Feature Film – In Development
Logline
Across continents and decades, a British nurse and a Sudanese mathematician defy convention and discover a love strong enough to change the course of their lives.
Synopsis
Set in 1930s Sudan and inspired by true events, My Life in Gereif follows Phillippa Castle, a young Nightingale nurse from England, whose chance encounter with Abdelfattah El Maghrabi—an ambitious Sudanese scholar—sparks an enduring romance that transcends culture, politics, and time. Framed through the eyes of Ursula, Phillippa’s granddaughter and a present-day journalist, the story unfolds as a lyrical journey of memory, belonging, and reconciliation.
Development Status
Currently in script development. Selected for the Der Divan Arabic Cultural Center’s coaching program in Berlin and part of the Torino Film Lab, supported by the Qatari Embassy. Submitted to the Red Sea Fund for development financing.
Meet The Creative Team
Mohamed Olesh
Cultural Consultant
Mohamed holds a preliminary master’s degree in directing from the Sudan University of Science and Technology, alongside open cinema studies at the Calibre Institute and the Arab Radio and Television Institute in Cairo.
🎥 His experience spans film, television, and theatre. He worked as a director and program producer for Sudan National Radio and Television and later joined Alhurra News Channel in Washington, D.C.
Khalid Ali Maki
Khalid studied Drama and Theatre with a focus on directing and acting. He has written and directed for both stage and screen, with screenplays spanning feature films, shorts, and television. He is also a passionate mentor, having led workshops in screenwriting and directing for emerging filmmakers across Sudan. Whether working on powerful theatre like The King is the King, crafting detective series like Dr. Basyouni, or guiding young talent — Khalid’s voice is bold, poetic, and rooted in lived experience. This story — My Life in Gereif — is deeply personal to us all. It is still in development, but every word Khalid writes brings us one step closer to the screen. Stay tuned as we introduce more of our creative team. Khalid Ali
Nadia Fares
Nadia Fares is an international award-winning film director, writer & producer with a long-standing career in Europe, the Middle East and the U.S. Nadia will direct the film My life in Gereif.
In Los Angeles, she has directed 5 episodes of the series “Swiss Stories in L.A.” following the daily endeavors of an artist, a dance teacher, an architect, a student and a bodyguard to achieve their Californian dream.
Her latest film “Big Little Women”, has received multiple awards for her personal and poetic approach, telling the story of three generations of women rebelling against patriarchal prohibitions. It was picked up by an U.S. World Sales.
Her feature script “Diplomatic Corps” was accepted into the New York Writers Lab backed by Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. Her script is based on a true story following the son of a diplomat who struggles with his sexual identity while his embattled father deals with a human rights crisis at the U.N. in New York City.
Nadia graduated from New York University, TISCH School of the Arts where she received her Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television. In 2015, she has created her own production company AfterAll Films and has produced and co-produced several award-winning films in the U.S., Middle East and Europe.
Fares is a fearless director with strong imagery and storytelling, leaving audiences hungry for more.
Untitled
Hawaiian High School Sitcom
Television Series – In Development
Logline
A sharp, funny coming-of-age comedy that follows a diverse group of island teens navigating friendships, family expectations, and climate-conscious campus life in modern Hawai‘i
Series Concept
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Oʻahu, the series blends heartfelt humor with the unique rhythms of island culture. Through the eyes of a mainland transfer student—and the local friends who adopt (and challenge) her—we explore what it really means to grow up Hawaiian today: surfing the waves of identity, tradition, and sustainability while surviving high school drama.
Creative Vision
Created and produced by Annett Culp, the show highlights Hawai‘i’s natural beauty and community spirit while embracing green filmmaking practices, including a strict no single-use-plastic policy and a commitment to local hiring.
Development Status
Currently scripting the pilot episode and preparing for a 2026 development-grant application. Early outreach to potential Hawaiian co-producers and studio partners is underway.
Visual Mood
Bright island palettes, lush jungle corners, sun-drenched beaches, and the lively energy of a Hawaiian high school—captured with a fresh, youthful lens.
Meet The Creative Team
Dezmond Gilla
actor, writer, and producer with a BA in Theater, known for stage roles such as Uday Hussein in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and the Lord of the Underworld in Eurydice.
